GOOD EVENING, I'M VICKI DORTCH. FORD IS HIRING 300 WORKERS AT ITS LOUISVILLE ASSEMBLY PLANT TO SUPPORT THE ADDITION OF A NEW VEHICLE LINE. THE COMPANY IS ALSO INVESTING 129 MILLION DOLLARS IN UPGRADES FOR THE LINCOLN M-K-C, WHICH STARTED PRODUCTION IN MAY. W-L-K-Y'S MARISSA ALTER IS LIVE FROM THE PLANT ON FERN VALLEY ROAD, WHERE LEADERS CELEBRATED THE M-K-C'S LAUNCH... MARISSA? AND THAT CELEBRATION CULMINATED WITH THE UNVEILING OF THE LINCOLN LOGO ON THE SIDE OF THIS PLANT. TAKE A LOOK. DRIVE BY HERE AND IT'S CLEAR THE FORD ESCAPE IS NOT THE ONLY VEHICLE PRODUCED HERE. Daryl Sykes 1:38:17 we are the sole producer of the escape, the sole producer of the all new mkc. and that's a big deal for us. LOUISVILLE ASSEMBLY PLANT MANAGER DARYL SYKES GAVE US A LOOK AT THE FACILITY'S NEW LINE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE PRODUCTION BEGAN 3 MONTHS AGO. THE M-K-C IS A LUXURY SMALL S-U-V.. THE FIRST OF ITS TYPE FOR LINCOLN. HE ESTIMATES ABOUT 1000 ARE PRODUCED A WEEK. LINCOLN OFFICIALS SAY THE NEW CAR HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED.. WITH 3000 SOLD THROUGH JULY. THEY JOINED FORD LEADERS TO CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH MONDAY AFTERNOON. John Savona 2:35:39 this is just further confirmation of what you as a workforce mean to us and the opportunity you've grabbed on to to deliver the mkc to customers. Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson 2:41:01 this is a great day..it's a day that continues to grow and expand..based on the success of each and every one of you workign onthat floor each and every day and it's also based on the success and the vision of the Ford motor company leadership and the lincoln motor leadership to understand the importance of what louisville kentucky means to the future of ford. Congratulations. BUT AS LOUISVILLE'S FORMER MAYOR.. JERRY ABRAMSON KNOWS THERE WAS A TIME THE PLANT'S FUTURE WAS UNCERTAIN WHEN U-S AUTOMAKERS STRUGGLED. Mayor Fischer You don't get many runs like this as a person in our careers to be at the top..go to the bottom..then come back up to the top like this. THE 300 NEW JOBS BRINGS THE TOTAL AT LOUISVILLE ASSEMBLY PLANT TO ABOUT 5000 PEOPLE. SYKES SAYS THE PLANT'S PRODUCTION RIGHT NOW IS 90 PERCENT ESCAPE.. 10 PERCENT M-K-C. Sykes 2:52:27 make no mistake. .what defines the lincoln motor company and greater frod motor company as a whole are the people. FORD'S 129 MIL LION DOLLAR INVESTMENT TO UPGRADE THE FACILITY FOR THE M-K-C IS ALSO HELPING TO SUPPORT SUPPLIERS ACROSS THE U-S INCLUDING 17 HERE IN KENTUCKY. REPORTING LIVE, MARISSA ALTER WLKY NEWS. THE LOUISVILLE ASSEMBLY PLANT OPENED IN 19-55. THE FACILITY IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE RANGER, BRONCO, AND EXPLORER. IN 2010, FORD INVESTED 600 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE PLANT TO TRANSFORM IT INTO A MODERN, FLEXIBLE FACILITY. HOMEOWNERS IN